One of the heroes of Derby County's first-ever Championship success in 1971-72 has revealed how he detested being overlooked by Scotland.

John McGovern was in Brian Clough's Derby team and went on to win the title and lift two European Cups under Clough at Nottingham Forest.

And yet the Montrose-born midfielder was never capped by Scotland at senior level.

"It was something that bitterly disappointed me during my playing career when at times I was playing against and beating the best in Europe," said McGovern, who was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame last week.

John McGovern during his Derby County days

The 67-year-old added: "I would have walked up the M74 with bare feet over broken glass to play for Scotland, I was that proud to be a Scotsman.

"I suppose that I had a slight deformity, a bent left shoulder, my style of running was poor and I was the slowest player I played with or against but if someone called Clough says I am in his side, it's not luck or favouritism, it's because I know how to play football.

"There were times when I was playing against some of the top players in Europe and they didn't know how to get round me and I could out-pass them.

"I looked at players like Ray Wilkins playing for England and thought 'he can't out-run me, he is as slow as I am, he can't out-tackle me, can't out-head me and he can't out-pass me but he has 70 caps and more for England'.